The Roaring Twenties It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing...

Welcome to the Roaring Twenties Where…. the men are dapper; the women are looser; the hem lines are shorter; the alcohol runs from an underground river; and the guiding drive in life is PLEASURE

The Roaring Twenties: also known as The age of the “Muckrakers;” the Jazz Age; the age of “Flappers, Fords, and Fanatics;” and the time when America went “From Riches to Rags.”

The Roaring Twenties Were Shaped by…. Postwar disillusionment—despite the fact that Wilson was the peacemaker hero; social mobility of the population from West to East and the resulting “decay” in morals; mass production of many products for the first time, such as: cars, food, and clothing suddenly made everyone “equal” prohibition which left the door open for opportunists of all types.

Social Mobility Also occurring at this time was: a call for women’s suffrage the Harlem Renaissance a shift in the definition of class from lineage to wealth All in all, a large number of changes that threatened to challenge the status quo and the white male’s dominance.

Fashion Clothes were designed to mimic the hedonistic pursuit of pleasure. For women, the matronly hour glass figure was passe. Instead, the ideal was the boyish slimness of the flapper. Women cut their hair short into bobs and appeared in dresses that often times reached only their knees. Long strands of pearls that moved freely as the woman danced were also popular. The dress of the 1920s was a direct expression of women’s sexual identity

Architecture Architecture reflected your status and the excesses of society. Old wealth tended to downplay their money, but new money thought the bigger and more ornate, inside and out, the better.

Things to watch for in The Great Gatsby The symbolism of colors: Red white gold green blue yellow The power and allure of money (both good and bad):

Themes: The myths of the American dream Reality vs. illusion Self-discovery Violence and Carelessness

East Egg vs. West Egg East Egg Conservative Aristocratic “Old Money” “New Money” Those who did not have the social connections nor refinement to live amongst those in East Egg. Lavish displays of wealth and garish poor taste.